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Pair donated to Kline rivals

Records show two on ethics panel contributed a combined $150 to campaigns opposing Phill Kline

Two of the three attorneys reviewing an ethics complaint against former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline made a total of $150 in campaign contributions to candidates who ran against him, campaign finance records show.

One of the attorneys also donated $400 to former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, an abortion rights Democrat who appointed four of the Kansas Supreme Court's seven current justices. The court has the final word on whether Kline will be sanctioned over allegations of misconduct while investigating abortion providers.

The three lawyers comprise a hearing panel for the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys and will make recommendations to the Supreme Court. They are JoAnn Butaud, of Lenexa; Jeffrey Chubb, of Independence; and Calvin Karlin, of Lawrence.

Campaign finance records show Karlin contributed to Sebelius in 2002 and 2003, then donated a total of $100 in 2005 and 2006 to Paul Morrison, a Democrat who defeated Kline when Kline sought re-election as attorney general.

Records show Chubb donated $50 to then-state Sen. David Adkins, one of Kline's Republican primary opponents in his successful 2002 race for attorney general.

"The whole thing from the start is very political," Mary Kay Culp, executive director of the anti-abortion group Kansans for Life, said Wednesday.

Culp said the attorneys' contributions show Kline won't get a fair hearing. The Supreme Court criticized Kline in previous rulings dealing with his abortion investigations.

Kline's legal team declined to discuss its strategy Wednesday. Brian Burgess, a Washington, D.C.-based public relations executive who's often acted as Kline's spokesman, said the disciplinary board is "hopelessly compromised."

"All of them have an ideological agenda, and it's reflected in who they support politically," Burgess said, emphasizing that he was speaking for himself.

But Peter Brownlie, chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said Kline's allies are trying to divert attention from his unethical behavior.

"It's simply demeaning to those who agree to hear the evidence," Brownlie said.

Ron Keefover, a spokesman for the disciplinary board that appointed the three attorneys, said politics is playing no role. Butaud, Chubb and Karlin referred questions to him.

"I've been watching attorney discipline cases for 30 years, and I've never seen politics enter into any of the hearings, complaints being filed or recommendations to the Supreme Court," Keefover said.

The complaint against Kline accuses him of making false statements and allowing subordinates to mislead the Supreme Court and other officials while investigating the late Dr. George Tiller, of Wichita, and Planned Parenthood's Overland Park clinic.

An anti-abortion Republican, Kline served a single term as attorney general in 2003-07, then served as Johnson County district attorney in 2007-09. He is now a visiting assistant professor of law at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

Tiller was acquitted of criminal charges filed by the attorney general's office after Kline left. A criminal case filed by Kline as Johnson County district attorney against the Planned Parenthood clinic is still pending.

The complaint against Kline was filed by disciplinary board officials and made public Tuesday. The three attorneys are scheduled to have a hearing May 26-28.